When Devastation Meets Forgiveness

A New program that Empowers the hurting to Walk Free of their Prisons

May 2007

Minds that have known only torture and tragedy are discovering that there is ONE who can deliver their soul from it's nightmares and provide peace so they can sleep again.

The Ugandan people have endured what has been called a "terror like no other terror."

Their babies have been born into a land that the UN has called "the most dangerous place on earth for children to live."

And, their plight has been labelled, "the world's worst unattended emergency."

Until now, the depths of their pain and trauma has held the people captive, locked in a world of hatred, anger and hopelessness, destined to continue the cycles of violence that have plagued their country.

Amazingly, a new 'Evidence-based Trauma Rehabilitation Program' called, 'EMPOWER,' is changing lives and setting people free.

A Prepared Way

Life, as Dr. Robi Sonderegger discovered, leads you on unexpected paths and Uganda was not a country that he knew much about.

"I was introduced to the war in Uganda by the Oprah Winfrey show" he explained. "My wife and I had visited some years earlier and we hadn't heard anything about a war. We thought it was a great country, you know post Idi Amin!"

"As we listened to the show we thought - What war?"

"What Child Soldiers?"

Whilst Oprah detailed the stories of abduction, rape, murder, cannibalism and torture that thousands of Ugandans have lived through, Robi and his wife Noleen realised that they could help these people.

As a Clinical Psychologist and Doctor of Paediatrics, Robi has spent a considerable number of years researching and working amongst refugees and children who have experienced varying degrees of trauma.

In fact his PHD focussed on trauma rehabilitation.

With a clear foundation and groundwork laid, Robi set off to Uganda to meet with Humanitarian Aid organisations and to determine how they could contribute.

An Unimagineable Evil

There's no preparation adequate for the stories and images that humanitarian aid workers in Northern Uganda encounter.

Many are overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems.

Others, find within themselves, a compulsion to be part of the answer and do battle with the areas in their hearts that would have preferred to know nothing.

In describing the pain and suffering that confronted him Robi says, "The brutality that these kids experience is beyond what our human mind was meant to comprehend. It is just outrageous.

"I've never heard anything as bad as what these children go through."

"The children are not just abducted or beaten up, They are forced to commit attrocities against other children, perhaps even against their own parents or against a brother or a sister, where they are forced to axe them to the head or nail them to trees or perhaps even eat them."

A Society Entrenched in Witchcraft

The monstrous group inflicting terror on the people of Uganda is known as The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

Joseph Kony, is their leader, a notorious witchdoctor who believes that he is the reincarnation of Jesus, speaking openly about demons possessing him and spirits talking to him. As a consequence witchcraft ritual is elemental to the LRA's methods.

"When the children are abducted one of the first things they go through are witchcraft ceremonies," Robi explains, "in these, the children are made to believe they are bulletproof for combat, unable to be killed."

"Or, girls are groomed through special ceremonies to determine whether or not they are pure. Those that a witchdoctor pronounces pure are given to an LRA Commander as a sex slave, those that are not are executed."

New Spells to Cast out Old Spells

On his first visit to Uganda, Robi discovered that cultural traditions can be a hindrance to healing.

"People resort to what they know and many times I found that indigenous nationals, wanting to help their people, would bring in their own witchdoctors in order to 'uncurse' them and put them under a new spell."

"Our goal, was to eradicate this witchcraft system and rehabilitate the people based on the research we have done over the years."

EMPOWER

"Empower" is the name of the Evidence-based Trauma Rehabilitation Program that Dr. Robi has developed and thousands of lives are being impacted through it.

Based on foundational truths, Empower equips these children of war with the ability to control their response to stress. They gain an emotional resilience that gives them hope for the future and strategies for life.

Forgiveness, life-purpose, identity formation, and leadership are core elements of the program. Robi and the hundreds of international humanitarian agency staff he has trained to use Empower, are seeing incredible results.

Evidence-based, as Robi says, simply means, "It works!"

FORGIVENESS, A VITAL COMPONENT OF HEALING

Essentially the children learn to FORGIVE their torturers and to FORGIVE themselves.

"The program is scientifically based," Robi explains, "but it is very difficult to tell someone about forgiveness without sharing with them how you have also been forgiven."

Forgiveness is a vital component of healing.

The GOOD NEWS

Many thousands of formerly-abducted children have managed to escape and increasing numbers of child soldiers and former rebels are accepting the amnesty offered by the Ugandan Government.

Empower creates exciting possibilities for the shape of Uganda's future and the remarkable results have even attracted attention from Heads of State and other war torn countries around the world.

There have been considerable concerns that those who have been abused and traumatised will grow up to participate in the next generation of hostility and cycles of violence continue on.

Leaders and organisations are keen to implement tools that will end the destructive cycles.

FRONTLINE - THE MOVEMENT

The task ahead is enormous, and the needs are far greater than any one person or organisation can hope to handle. For this reason Dr. Robi has started THE FRONTLINE, a Movement that is gathering momentum on behalf of the victims of war.

THE FRONTLINE asks for more than just money, they want voices, gifts, talents and most importantly hearts.

Their goal is to reach up to one million trauma-victims living as internally displaced refugees in 120 camps spread throughout the war zone and enlistment in this Frontline Movement is free and without obligation.

If you feel like making some noise and becoming a voice for these children whose cries go unheard find out how to join up at the Frontline website: http://www.thefrontline.org.au

Alternatively, if you would like see a greater number of people to participate in the Empower Program there are a number of ways you can help:

Suggestions:

1. CHILD EMPOWEREMENT:
You can provide a vulnerable child/orphan with basic needs - nutrition, clothing, shelter, and primary education.

Basic Child Empowerment" program $22 per month or $260 per year

2. YOUTH EMPOWEREMENT:
Empower Leadership College and Agricultural Farm will be the educational hub of the village with various youth training components on offer. With your partnership, Family Challenge educates the youth of Kichikwe in Leadership, Small Business, and Vocational Skills. This in turn promotes small income producing schemes, strengthens their esteem/confidence, and enhances their ability to serve their community.

Basic Youth Empowerment $25 per month or $300 per year

3. WOMEN EMPOWEREMENT:
Many rural house holds are headed by widows, grandmothers,or orphaned girls (caring for their siblings) with no ability to generate income. They survive on minimal food grown on home plots. With your partnership, Family Challenge empowers women with resources, social networks, agricultural knowledge, health and nutrition education, and skill acquisition (sewing; farming; milling) for Small Business Entrepreneurship.

Basic Woman Empowerment $35 per month or $420 per year

4. ONE OFF GIFTS THAT EMPOWER FOR GOOD

School Supplies	$5
Seeds	$10
Mosquito Net	$10
Chickens	$20
Farming Implements	$20
Kitchen Implements	$30
Citrus Trees	$30
Tools	$100
Cows	$800
Irrigation	$1000

For more you can visit information visit:

http://www.familychallenge.com.au/pages/empower.html

Please Note: Financial contributions in support of THE FRONTLINE movement go directly towards supporting the Family Challenge Charitable Trust's work with war affected children living in refugee camps (Northern Uganda).

LINKS


ABDUCTED AND ABUSED IN NORTHERN UGANDA http://www.familychallenge.com.au/pages/uganda1.html

REAL HELP FOR CHILDREN OF WAR
http://www.familychallenge.com.au/pages/uganda2.html

REAL LIFE ACCOUNTS
http://www.familychallenge.com.au/pages/uganda3.html

YOU TUBE INTERVIEW

Will You Cry Too (5min 36secs - Listed June 2006)
After hearing about the horrendous stories of traumatised children in Northern Uganda, 14 year old Jenaya created a two-part video interview that has now been seen by hundreds of people around the world. In this video Dr. Robi describes the battleground as well as the breakthroughs.

View Jenaya's Videos:

Part One

Part Two